Friday, April 13, 2012

Under pressure from a well-funded Muslim education group, the nation’s public school textbooks increasingly present a politically correct portrait of Islam, according to a new report.

ACT for American Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of Islamic fundamentalism, said it found examples of historical revisionism in 38 of the most popular history textbooks used in public schools. ACT traced the new approach to Islam to a non-profit group that employs education consultants with links to political Islam, draws money from controversial donors, and has promoted glaring inaccuracies about the religion’s history.

The Institution on Religion and Civic Values—which recently changed its name from the Council on Islamic Education—is working to conduct a “bloodless” revolution in the school system according to founder Shabbir Mansuri.

One of the IRCV’s former leading scholars has been associated with groups that have raised questions in the past for their ties to radicalism.

Susan Douglass, who served as IRCV’s curriculum specialist for more than 10 years, taught social studies at the Islamic Saudi Academy in Alexandria, Va., a school funded by Saudi Arabia. The class of 1999’s valedictorian was convicted of plotting to assassinate former President George W. Bush in 2005.

At the time, liberal Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) questioned whether the school is “another example of the Saudi government turning a blind eye to terrorism.”

“I hope that the ISA is not another madrassa in the United States,” he said.

Douglass has also worked for an Islamic think tank—the International Institute of Islamic Thought—that was raided by federal officials in 2002. The group was founded with the backing of former Muslim Brotherhood members in the 1980s and had financial ties to anti-Israel terrorist groups in the early 2000s.

Douglass now works as an education consultant at Georgetown University’s Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which was renamed in 2005 after Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal donated $20 million to the center.

She did not return calls for comment. One of the IRCV’s patrons, California defense contractor Rahim Sabadia, has funneled millions to Islamic organizations in the U.S. Sabadia sent more than $300,000 to IRCV from 2008 to 2010, according to documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. He also pumped more than $300,000 to the radical Council on American Islamic Relations during that same time period, and gave a $300,000 check to the left-wing Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in 2009.

His wife, Nafees El Batool, contributed nearly $60,000 to the Democratic National Senatorial Committee in the 2006 and 2008 cycles. Sabadia has split his six figure political donations evenly between both parties.

Sabadia lost his security clearance in June, reportedly claiming in an email to a colleague that his charity work was to blame, according to the Orange County Register.
Sabadia did not return calls for comment. The six figure donations are aimed at pushing an agenda, rather than good scholarship, according to ACT executive director Guy Rodgers. He said textbook companies are eager to turn to groups like the IRCV in order to avoid accusations of racism.

“The IRCV gives a faulty picture, a rosy picture of Islam,” he said. “The textbooks are responding to this politically correct concern that we’re being intolerant to Muslims—they’re rewriting history to suit those concerns.”

IRCV has consulted for dozens of textbooks and instructed thousands of teachers since 2000. Mansuri, who did not return calls for comment, said he founded the group because, “The U.S., like any other nation, is part of the global community. We need to know about each other.”

But the type of information IRCV has provided to textbook companies sheds an overly positive light on Islam, according to ACT.

For example, the group played a major role consulting on Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s 2003 history book, Across the Centuries.

In the textbook, ancient Islam is depicted in a very progressive manner: as tolerant of non-Muslims, in favor of equal rights for women, and unwilling participants in the fight for Jerusalem and the resulting Crusades.

The textbook featured many of the talking points forwarded by IRCV, including the assertion that “under Islam, Jews and Christians had full religious freedom. They built churches and synagogues, and several were financed by the state.”

The book failed to mention the scholarship of acclaimed Johns Hopkins University professor Majid Khadduri, who founded the school’s Middle East Studies Program. The Iraqi-born Khadduri combatted the revisionism embraced by many Muslim scholars, pointing out that Muslims barred the creation of new churches, taxed non-believers, branded them with yellow badges, and barred them from testifying in court.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt stands by the book, as well as the publisher’s relationship with Mansuri, according to company spokesman Josef Blumenfeld.

“We have 180 years of trusted content and we vet that content to other organizations because standards change and perceptions change,” he said. “[IRCV] helped, but we reach out to a lot of different interested parties to get their input.”

Guidelines that have since been scrubbed from the IRCV site stated that the group would not work with textbook makers for academic review “unless a substantial and substantive revision is planned by the publisher.” Although the policies prohibit textbook endorsements, the policies also said IRCV would promote textbooks that embraced its message.

“IRCV may on occasion recommend textbooks that contain balanced coverage of Islam and Muslim history,” the policies read.
IRCV’s relationship with HMH ended in 2003. BlumenfeldHMH bowed to any kind of pressure from the Islamic group.

“We’d never give anyone veto power over our work,” he said.

Rodgers pointed to the treatment of the term jihad, often cited by Islamists as the driving force behind the 9/11 attacks and terrorist groups such as al Qaeda. The term is defined simply as a personal spiritual struggle in many leading textbooks.

“The most respected and authoritative collection of hadith contains 199 references to jihad, and every one uses the term to mean warfare against infidels,” according to the ACT report.

Blumenfeld said ACT is wasting its time.

“Anyone who says (textbooks are pro-Islam) is just looking to make a name for themselves and should focus on doing something more productive,” he said.
Rodgers, a former public school teacher, said the revisions “skew” a student’s ability to put the realities of Islamic terrorism in the proper context.

“What teachers do and what textbooks do has a big influence on young people,” he said. “You see kids who grew up in the post-9/11 era who don’t know what jihad is. How can we understand our enemy in the War on Terror if we are fed historical revisionism?”

“That’s not just an educational problem—that’s a national security problem.”

November 2012: best case scenario...the Republicans keep the House, retake the Senate, and send the usurper packing, hopefully not just out of office but straight to jail with NO get out of jail free card. Mid-range scenario: the Republicans keep the House, retake the Senate but the usurper wins again. Worst case scenario...the Republicans lose all three, which has, I believe, NO chance of happening.

While I am counting on the first scenario, the second is not as bad as it might seem at face value. By Republicans keeping the House and retaking the Senate, even if Obama manages to ‘steal’ the election for himself he would by all accounts be an impotent president, a figurehead and nothing more. Why, because with a Republican controlled House and Senate he would get NO liberal bills passed, NO liberal policies put in place, NO liberal Supreme Court justices appointed, his freebie programs could be slashed, ObamaCare could still be overturned, a budget could be passed, jobs could be created under Republican guidelines, the pledge of allegiance could be put back into our public schools, and all his presidential vetoes could be overturned...basically he would be sitting in the White House twitting his thumbs or in his case playing round after round of golf.

With Obama feeling heat from both the Supreme Court and the Republican hierarchy, first for his remarks about the Constitution, and then for overstepping his bounds and basically threatening the justices, it seems by all indications that the justices are indeed preparing to strike down the main provision, the personal mandate, of Obama’s very unpopular signature healthcare law that has the been the cornerstone of his administration.

If this does indeed happen, this will be a major blow to his re-election campaign. Add to that his ridiculous ‘war on women’ that he is still trying to pass off on the Republicans, his butting into religious issues, his and his minions attack on stay-at-home moms, his failing to create promised jobs, plus his abysmal foreign policy in relation to Israel, Iran, and our military, and you have the makings of defeat.

But even with all this, we do have an obstacle in the path of removing Obama from office now that it is most evident that Mitt Romney will be the Republican nominee, and that obstacle is certain views and beliefs pertaining to Mormonism that are held by the ultra-religious Evangelical and Fundamentalist movements. Their belief, expounded upon recently by Pastor Rick Warren, that Mormons are second only to islam in condemnation could very well stand in the way of victory or at least make victory somewhat harder to obtain

.

Just today a friend of mine, or should I say now ex-friend, told me that while she personally likes what Romney has to say and really likes his wife, as an Evangelical Christian though she CANNOT vote for him because he is a Mormon. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing...’because he is a Mormon.’ I said to her would she rather have a muslim in the White House than a Mormon, and she said that because the muslim stance on Christianity is well known, and because of her church's teachings, she would have to say yes, she'd rather have Obama than a professed pseudo-Christian religion that does not believe in the Trinity, unless her church says it's OK to vote for ROMNEY!

‘Unless her church says it's OK’... If this is how the religious far right is going to think I can see us having some problems, not insurmountable problems but problems nevertheless.

These folks need to realize that the ‘enemy within’ is more dangerous to their belief system than any Mormon ever could be. They need to realize that we ALL must unite together to defeat Obama’s socialist agenda.

They need to realize that if we are to save our beloved America that their over-the-top religious ideologies must be put aside, even just for now, so that political ignorance, misinformation and apathy can be dealt with without their adding problems into the mix; problems, which by the way, should not be problems at all.

I just hope and pray that the Evangelical and Fundamentalist leaders realize what dangerous ground they are treading upon, because if Obama wins again because they could not or would not get over the old hatreds, then they have become as dangerous to America as those they profess to condemn.

Trayvon Martin And George Zimmerman Both Victims Of Black Leadership?

Through their actions, Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman have become forever entwined in the history of race relations of America.

Both had cell phones. One saw what he thought was suspicious activity (someone walking on someone else’s property, between houses, late at night) and called the police. Because he was not in the street, but between houses, Zimmerman apparently continued to follow Martin. He did so against the advice of the 911 operator, supposedly to get an address.

Allegedly, at this point, Zimmerman was attacked and beaten, leading to him shooting his attacker.

Trayvon Martin, the other man in this case, recognized that he was being followed and possibly in danger of attack. He was not attacked; the mortician said there was no evidence of any physical violence upon Martin’s body, nor any defensive scratches or bruises. Martin did not call anyone, did not report his fear, and did not report what he felt was suspicious activity or something possibly illegal.

Apparently and allegedly, without any physical provocation, he attacked Zimmerman, breaking his nose and beating his head repeatedly into the ground. At this time, he was shot and killed by Zimmerman.

Their collective acceptance and support of the lack of cooperation and wall of silence surrounding the open drug sales and lawlessness in the black community, as well as their failure to lead or even speak out on the crisis of black-on black-murder and violence, proves they’re not fit to lead. They don’t care about these issues, other than to keep them inflamed for their own race-driven ends.

Their continual grandstanding and denigrating those trying to protect Americans in the street on a daily basis have led to a lack of confidence and outright hostility towards those one would turn to in times of trouble.

Martin and Zimmerman are both victims of race-baiting leaders and their policies.

The Townhall.com GOP Veepstakes

Click here to vote:

Who do you think should be Mitt Romney's running mate? Townhall.com is conducting a monthly poll to see whom conservatives would like to see team up with Mitt Romney to take on President Obama. We'll keep polling until a running mate is selected. Vote now!

Pick the GOP ticket by dragging and dropping or clicking your selection

Gov. Mitt Romney

GOP Presidential Nominee

Your GOP VP Nominee

Spkr. Newt Gingrich

Gov. Rick Perry

Rep. Allen West

Gov. Sarah Palin

Sen. Marco Rubio

Gov. Haley Barbour

Sen. Rick Santorum

Gov. Mike Huckabee

Rep. Paul Ryan

Gov. Chris Christie

Gov. Bob McDonnell

Rep. Michele Bachmann

Sen. Jim DeMint

Sen. John Thune

Gov. Mitch Daniels

Gov. Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Jeb Bush

Donald Trump

Gov. Scott Walker

Amb. John Bolton

Sen. Rob Portman

Condoleezza Rice

Sen. Tom Coburn

Gov. Bobby Jindal

Gov. Nikki Haley

*Voting in the Townhall.com Veepstakes entitles you to receive conservative alerts from Townhall.com.Privacy Policy

The UN Security Council has deplored the launch by North Korea of a rocket which broke up shortly after take-off.

A statement issued after closed-door talks said the launch was in breach of two Security Council resolutions.

Consultations on an appropriate response would continue, "given the urgency of the matter", it continued.

In an unusual step, the North admitted the launch of the satellite had failed, and went ahead with planned celebrations in Pyongyang.

The UN statement, read by the current Security Council chair, US ambassador Susan Rice, said the launch broke UNSC resolutions 1718 and 1874.

They imposed tough sanctions against North Korea following earlier rocket launches in 2006 an 2009.

Ms Rice would not say what sort of response they were considering.

But she added: "We think a credible reaction is important."

The failure of this launch is embarrassing for the North Korean regime. It had been billed as a sign of the North's technical achievement.

But the news that it had failed was only given at midday local time. For four hours after the launch, there was no word at all. The international journalists assembled in the press centre were told nothing. Then state media said rocket scientists and technicians were looking into why it failed to reach orbit.

In previous days, we had been taken to see the launch pad on the West Sea site. North Korea wanted to insist this was just a satellite launch and not a test of missile technology as others had feared. It wanted to show us its mastery of technology.

The failure is a serious blow to the prestige of Kim Jong Un. It was hoped showcasing the North's technological achievements would reinforce the young man's right to the mantle of power.

The fear is he may now respond with a new show of strength, perhaps by testing a nuclear device.

But Aidan Foster-Carter, Korea analyst at Leeds University, said he found the prospect of more international action "a bit dreary".

'Food aid cancelled'
"I wish we could find a way not to paint North Korea further into the corner they're busy painting themselves into," he told the BBC. "We need to engage with them and draw them out but they have again made that harder."

Earlier, Washington accused the communist state of threatening regional security. It said North Korea had isolated itself still further from the outside world.

The US has also cancelled a proposed food aid deal with Pyongyang.

A US National Security Council spokesman said they would look at additional sanctions if Pyongyang continued its "provocations".

In February, North Korea agreed to a partial freeze in nuclear activities and a missile test moratorium in return for US food aid.

Washington suspended the deal when the missile launch was announced last month.

'Provocative acts'
The official reason for the launch had been to put a satellite into orbit in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the state's founder, Kim Il-sung.

Kim Jong-un, his grandson, led tens of thousands of people in lavish celebrations in central Pyongyang at which giant statues were unveiled to both his grandfather and his late father, Kim Jong-il.

Many outside the country saw the launch as an illegal test of long-range missile technology.

North Korea fired the Unha-3 rocket around 07:40 local time (22:40 GMT Thursday) from a site in Cholsan County on the western coast, according to South Korean and US monitors.

It disintegrated after a minute or two, falling into waters 165km (105 miles) west of the South Korean capital, Seoul, the monitors said.

"North Korea is only further isolating itself by engaging in provocative acts, and is wasting its money on weapons and propaganda displays while the North Korean people go hungry," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan accused the North of a "clear breach of the UN resolution that prohibits any launch using ballistic missile technology".

China and Russia, North Korea's closest allies, called for a resumption of the stalled multi-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme.

Confirming the rocket failure, North Korea's state news agency KCNA said briefly: "The Earth observation satellite failed to enter its pre-set orbit.

"Scientists, technicians and experts are now looking into the cause of the failure."

In Pyongyang, events to cement Kim Jong-un's assumption of power after the death of his father in December continued on Friday with a special session of the supreme people's assembly (parliament).

The assembly appointed Mr Kim, 29, as "first chairman" of the country's top decision-making body, the National Defence Commission.

At the same time, his late father was made the commission's "eternal chairman".

Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the Museum of Revolutionary Struggle on Mansu Hill to see the statues being unveiled.

"All party members and troops should hold the respected comrade Kim Jong-un in high esteem... and protect him with our lives under any circumstances," North Korea's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, told the crowd.

The monuments to the former leaders replace a single statue of Kim Il-sung which previously occupied the site.

Body of lies?

By Joseph Zaalishvili / Jihad Watch

The Iranian ayatollahs and president are well aware that military power alone will not help protect their regime. They also need a strong economy. And most importantly, diplomacy.

Although there are "small" problems, such as the worldwide financial penalties and sanctions on oil sales with Iran, over time these problems are resolved. And they are not resolved in favor of Western civilization.

According to the general director of the Iranian Oil Company, Jalil Salar, Iran is increasing its sale of petroleum products, in spite of international sanctions. According to him, in the world there will always be countries that are interested in Iranian oil. He stated this at the 17th International Oil & Gas and Petrochemical Exhibition in Tehran.

But Iran has celebrated April 8 as the National Nuclear Technology Day, marking the day its nuclear program began. In Iran, this day is called the Day of the "Yellow Cake." Isn't that ironic?

Tehran has already opened negotiations to aid in the development of nuclear power in other countries. About Turkey I have already written, and other countries may be interested in Iran's nuclear technology. If the goods are available, the buyer is always there. Muslims are well aware of this. Trade is not only part of the culture; it's part of the religion, too.

Here's another interesting fact about trade. For the further development of relations between Turkey and Iran, the countries agreed on the appointment of special envoys from each. On the Turkish side, the representative appointed was the Minister of Development and Investment, Cevdet Yilmaz, with Iran's being the Vice President for International Affairs, Ali Saidlu.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said that the special representatives were instructed to draw up a list of areas of cooperation between the two countries, and to examine the level of cooperation. Then they will prepare a report for the presidents of Iran and Turkey.

And all this after the announcement of financial sanctions against Iran. Funny, is not it?

This has all happened at a time when the world community is waiting for what may be the solution to this problem, from a meeting in Istanbul on April 14. The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ali Akbar Salehi, said that the preconditions before starting a new round of talks between Tehran and the 5 +1 group were senseless and unacceptable. "These discussions are purely for informational purposes only, and none of the parties put forward any preconditions."

He said that the Iranian delegation will take part in negotiating a new round of dialogue, regardless of the rumors and reports circulated, based only on the principle of national dignity and position of the Islamic Republic.

Salehi at the same time expressed the hope that the Istanbul meeting would be more successful than previous meetings, and that the parties could move forward in addressing the issues.

The Secretariat of the National Security Council of Iran said that the first round of the new phase of negotiations between the IRI and the "Six" will be held on April 14 in Istanbul, and the second later in Baghdad. In the historic capital of the Caliphate? And will these negotiations decide the fate of Islam -- I'm sorry -- of Iran's nuclear program? Is not it symbolic?

Meanwhile, Erdogan has taken steps to legalize Ankara as a nuclear state. Turkey and China recently signed two agreements in the nuclear field.

According to reports, these two agreements were signed after the talks between Turkish and Chinese Prime Ministers, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Wen Jiabao, in Beijing on Monday.

During the ceremony, which was attended by the prime ministers of both countries, the energy ministers of Turkey and China signed an agreement on peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Then an agreement was signed between the Chinese national energy management agency and the Turkish Ministry of Energy.

The fact that the region is preparing for war is already visible even to the naked eye. Revolutionary Guards have begun a project of the Caspian Sea water desalination. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran has taken responsibility for the implementation of this project.

In the Caspian Sea, the latest technology is used for water desalination. Whence came to Iran the technology and money for such projects? This country should be under siege, according to the president and the mullahs.

In the end, these same guardians of Islam have declared that Iran has unveiled a new radar system of local production called "Samen."

Muslims in trade with each other cannot be deceived. Islamic law forbids it. But non-believers can be deceived. And maybe we want to be deceived. But is it worth the risk? And why do the Iranians need a nuclear program in the first place?

Farrakhan’s Wild New Claims: Jesus Was a Black Muslim & Elijah Would Be the ‘N***er at the Door’ (Plus the Bible Was Wrong About Cain!)

By: Benny Johnson / The Blaze

With a former U.S. Congressman in the audience, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan made his anticipated, controversial appearance Tuesday night at Alabama A&M University. Surrounded by a security detail of dark suits and bow ties, it was Farrakhan’s white suit that commanded the stage.

Speaking to a cheering crowd that filled most of the auditorium, Farrakhan touched on sensitive religious and racial issues while using his infamous vernacular to hammer some astounding points.

The minister began by referring to the national controversy that had been built around his appearance at the university. ”Here in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and even in other parts of the country, they didn’t like outsiders coming to disturb the plantation. So when an outsider came that master thought might upset the plantation mentality, he would threaten the slave and go, ‘don’t you listen to him, he’s a hater.’ Well you just met me! Who taught you to hate your black self? It wasn’t Farrakahn.”

On the topic of religion and race Farrakhan got personal, ”If He made us black – with kinky hair, broad nose, thick lips – if I don’t like me, how could I like the God who created me?”

Paul Gattis, a reporter for The Huntsville Times who was in the audience wrote, “[Farrakhan] also repeatedly said that it is not known if Jesus was a Caucasian, as He is typically portrayed. Farrakhan made the same point about Elijah, the Jewish prophet.”

Farrakhan referenced the Jewish Seder holiday and specifically the Jewish tradition of the Prophet Elijah’s arrival to each doorway on Passover night: “If Elijah was at the door and he was black, you would call 911 and say there’s a n****r at the door, claiming he’s Elijah! Send the police!”

Why would Jewish people be so shocked? “Because you are not trained to accept wisdom from a black person, no matter how wise that black person is” the minister explained, “Jesus was a black man.”

Most astoundingly, Farrakhan made the argument that Jesus was not Christian. “Because Jesus said ‘Not My will, but Thy will.’ You know what we call that in Arabic? Islam. He was a Muslim.”

More religious piety was to come. The controversial minister launched into a diatribe on the story of Cain and Abel, with his own additions.

“When Cain came to present his offering before God as a tiller of the ground, the scripture says God did not respect his offering. I don’t believe that. I’d like to offer a correction. Well who are you? I’m better than those who have revised your Bible. I’m better than those who have translated it out of the original tongues and revised it to fit their purpose! What makes you better? Because I am taught of God.”

A large portion of his speech targeted black education and the poor quality of opportunities for blacks in America. Farrakhan pushed the predominantly black audience to have greater achievements and goals in the world, and not be obligated to whites or Jews to find their success.

“White people suffer from the false notion that white skin makes them superior,” Farrakhan said. “And we suffer from the falsehood that the blackness of our skin makes us inferior. So we’re bowing to white supremacy and manifesting black inferiority.”

“Because most of you that have something , you have it because there’s a white person that has befriended you in some way. Am I saying the wrong thing? So they are the controller of the ceiling, and you only go as far as they permit. And in order for you sometimes to crack that ceiling, you have to genuflect, bow.”

Taking in the full message from the front row was the former Republican Congressman Parker Griffith, who represented Alabama’s fifth district in Congress from 2008-2010.

Several area pastors and rabbis rebuked the Alabama A&M administration for allowing the controversial minister to use school facilities to address the student community. Some of the faith-based leaders unsuccessfully asked for university officials to reconsider Farrakhan’s invitation. As WHNT News reporter Nick Banaszak notes ”administrators maintained they had nothing to do with the event, noting that a coalition of student groups that included the A&M Poetry Club and A&M Democrats invited Farrakhan to come speak.”

Farrakhan has previously called white people “potential humans who have not fully evolved” and referred to Jewish groups as a “synagogue of Satan.”

The Anti-Defamation League also reports that Farrakhan has accused white Republicans of praying for President Obama’s death.